Mine car coupler



Sept. 10, .1946. E. RAMSAY MINE CAR COUPL ER Filed Feb. 19, 1945 EREKIN E RAM SAY INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINE CAR COUPLER Erskine Ramsay, Birmingham, Ala. Application February 19, 1945, Serial No. 578,683

7 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my previously filed application, Serial No. 543,- 305, filed July 3, 1944.

This invention relates to automatic couplers, particularly to automatic couplers for mine cars, and has for an object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall be adapted to conserve space between coupled cars and thus provide additional loading capacity, which may be easily coupled and uncoupled, and which is simple of design and economical f manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic coupler for mine cars which shall be so disposed and constructed as to permit the dumping of one car at a time without uncoupling from other cars.

Briefly, my invention comprises a socket member which is mounted in the end of a mine car, in the longitudinal axis thereof, and a draw bar member also mounted in the long axis of the car at the opposite end thereof, the draw bar member including pivoted, radially extending coupling members, or arms, which are adapted to enter and engage the walls of the socket member. The coupling members are normally held apart by means of a spring located within the draw bar member and may be retracted by chains so as to uncouple the car, which chains connect with the coupling members, and extend inwardly of the car upon which the coupler is mounted and outwardly in position to be engaged by a workman. Inasmuch as the draw bar member telescopes within the socket member, the ends of coupled cars may be brought close together when coupled, and there need be no more space between coupled cars than that necessary to permit the inward flexing of the coupling members.

My invention also contemplates that the draw bar member shall be yieldably mounted in a socket permitting sufiicient lateral and vertical movement to permit the cars to go around sharp curves and to accommodate inequalities in the track surface.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing coupled cars having my improved coupler mounted thereon and showing in dotted position the action of the couplers in passing over inequalities in the track;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of coupled cars showing the relative positions of the couplers when the cars are rounding a sharp curve;

Fig. 3 is a partial end view of a car showing the means for holding the coupling members retracted; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the coupling members.

Referring to the drawing, I show in Fig. 1 cars 5 and 6; The end of the car 5 has a circular opening 8 therein to which is joined by welding a spheroidal socket number 9. On the adjacent end of the car 6 is mounted a draw bar member it which is smaller in diameter than the opening 8 and which protrudes from the end of the car 6 and is adapted to enter the spheroidal socket 9 on the car 5 to which it is coupled. The center of the socket 9 and the center of the draw bar member II] are both located in the long axes of the cars upon which they are mounted, whereby one car of a string of cars may be dumped in any well known form of rotary dumper without uncoupling from other cars.

As may be seen from a consideration of Fig. 4, the draw bar member It! is hollow and has pivotally mounted thereon coupling members I! and I2, each of which is slightly longer than the radius of the spheroidal socket 9 whereby, when spaced apart, to the position shown in Fig. 1, they engage the walls of the socket member and hold the cars upon which they are mounted coupled together. As may also be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the outer end I3 of the draw bar member is solid whereby to limit the outward swing of the coupling members I! and i 2. It will further be seen from Fig. 3 of the drawing that the members II and I2 are pivoted, one above and one below, the draw bar member I El, and have their outer ends inclined so as to lie in a vertical plane passing through the center of the draw bar member. By this means, when coupled cars are rounding a curve, there is no unequal strain on the coupling members.

The coupling members I! and I2 are normally held in their outward positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, by means of a spring I 5 Which is mounted on a pin H extending transversely of and secured in the draw member 18. The spring It is provided with a loop 18, see Fig. 4, which passes around the pin I! and is thereby held in place. The arms of the spring extend straight outwardly, as may be seen in Fig. 4 to engage the coupling members H and I2. Connected to the coupling member II is a chain I9 and connected to the coupling member I2 is a similar chain 2!. The chains I9 and 2i extend through the hollow coupling member It and end 6 of the car and then upwardly through a guide 22 to be secured at 23 to the upper edge of the outside of the car. Pins 24 and 25 are provided on the car 6 around which the chains l9 and 2| may be hooked to hold the coupling members retracted.

Whenever it is desired to uncouple the cars, the the chains l9 and 2] are grasped by a Workman and pulled, whereupon the tension of the spring [6 is overcome and the coupling members i l and I2 are drawn towards each other so that they will clear the sides of the opening 3. If it be desired to hold the coupling members H and I2 in their retracted positions, the chains l9 and 2| arehooked over the pins 24 and 26.

A particular feature of my invention resides in the mounting of the draw bar member whereby to .4 ing, coupling members pivotally mounted on the draw bar member and adapted to spread apart and engage the sides of the spheroidal member, a spring for holding the coupling membersv apart, and flexible means connected to the coupling members and adapted to draw them together to clear the sides of the opening in the socket member and uncouple the cars.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which one of the coupling members extends upwardl from the draw bar member and the other downwardly.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the spheroidal socket member and the draw bar memaccommodate relative angular or lateral and vertical movements between the cars as when going around curves and when passing over uneven tracks. The car 6 upon which the draw bar is mounted, as shown in the drawing, is provided with an end opening 2?. A cylindrical socket member 28 is mounted within the body of the car, surrounding the opening 2 and of a diameter considerably larger than said opening, The draw bar member in has a shank 29 with an elongated slot 3i therein extending rearwardly into the cylindrical socket member 28. A spring 32 surrounds the shank 29 and is restrained at the end of the shank by meansof a ring 33 secured to the shank by means of a pin 3%. At the other end, the spring is restrained by means of a ring 35 which passes around the shank 29 and is welded to end of the car. A pin 31 passing downwardly through the slot 3! prevents the draw bar from turning. On the outside of the end of the car I also provide a rubber cushion 33 surrounding the opening 2? which is held in place by means of a plate 39 and pins 4!.

With the apparatus mounted as just described, when the cars are rounding a sharp curve as shown in Fig, 2 of the drawing, the pad 38 is compressed and the shank of the draw bar member is swung around in the socket 28. When passing over uneven tracks so that one car assumes a higher position than the other, as shown in Fig. 1, the draw bar member swings about the ring 36 to assume the dotted position indicated, the spring 32 being compressed to allow for the altered positions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved automatic coupler for mine cars which greatly diminishes the distance between coupled cars and which is simple of design and operation and economical of manufacture.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for coupling cars together, a spheroidal socket member mounted in the end of one car, and having an opening through the end of the car, a draw bar member mounted on an adjacent car and smaller in diameter than the opening, and adapted to enter through said open-- ber are mounted in the longitudinal axis of the car.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the draw bar member is hollow and uncoupling chains extend through the draw bar member inwardly of the ,car and then outwardly so as to be accessible to the end of the car and may be grasped to pull the coupling members together andallow the draw bar member to be withdrawn from the socket member.

5. Apparatus as defined of the coupling members'extends upwardly from the draw bar member and the other downwardly and both are inclined at their outer ends so as to lie in a vertical plane passing through the draw 7 bar member. a

6. In apparatus for coupling cars together, a spheroidal socket member mounted in the end'of one car, and having an opening through the end of the car, a draw bar member mounted on an adjacent car and smaller in diameter than the opening, and adapted to enter through said opening, coupling members pivotally mounted on the draw bar member and adapted to spread apart and engage the sides of the spheroidal member, a spring for holding the coupling members apart, flex ble means connected to the coupling members and adapted to draw them together to clear the.

sides of the opening in the socket member and unoouple the cars, a shank on the draw bar mem ber, a socket on the. end of the car larger in cross sectional dimensions than the shank and into V which the shank extends, and 5 ring means retaining the shank in the socket. ,7

'1. In apparatus for coupling cars together, a spheroidal socket member mounted in the end of one car, and having an opening through the end of the car, a draw bar member mounted on anadjacent car and smaller in diameter than the opening, and adapted to enter through said opening, coupling members pivotally mounted on the draw bar member and adapted to spread apart and engage the sides of the spheroidal member, a

spring for holding the coupling members apart, flexible means connected to the coupling members and adapted to draw them together to clear the sides of the opening in the socket memberand.

uncouple the cars, a slotted shank on the draw bar member, a socket in the end of the car on which the draw bar member is mounted and larger in cross sectional dimension than the.

shank and into which the shank extends, a spring surrounding the shank, means on the end of the shank for restraining one end of the spring, and

a pin passing through the slot in the shank and held against outward movement for restraining the other end of the spring.

ERSKINE RAMSAY.

in claim 1 in which one. 

